April 2020 Covid-19 keeps us HOME, together, and isolated. IT WAS HEAVEN!

While running on the track for home school Kael found a 4 leaf clover and was so very proud of himself.

With covid-19 and schools closed we have taken to homeschool and Mom knows how to wear out these kiddos by lunch! However, this was a Sunday afternoon during the last session of General Conference.
In October, President Nelson said this General Conference would be memorable, and it was! We prepared by learning more about the priesthood and Joseph Smith's first vision of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Our family did our best to prepare.
President Nelson made a new proclamation about the First Vision during the conference and we were all able to participate in a hosana shout! We got excited and Eden helped me to sew a bunch of white hankerchiefs for it last minute out of a white sheet. The kids did GREAT listening to the talks. It was literally the last session the finally just got so tired and crashed.

Connor's homeschool! It was really fun being able to do some preschool with Connor. All 3 big kids loved helping read to him and teach him his letters and numbers.

For school I would have to take photos of the projects the kids worked on and submit them to their teachers. I have a LOT of photos of Connor and Elara doing school work.

 Our new normal with Covid-19. The kids only left the house for short drives. This day we dropped off old things to goodwill. The kids had to wear a mask and stay in the car. It was well over a month before we finally visited Pinkston's and let them out of our house. No playground. No friends. They have done amazing and have been such good sports.

Our sweet neighbor made us all masks. It helped so much. Grandma made us some too, so we were set for a while! The month of April we were able to go to the high school track about twice a week. We all ran a mile and then we started coming up with some fun games to play. We did the long jump a couple times, and this time we knocked down water bottle bowling with a soccer ball.

 I wanted to document how low gas prices dropped here in Texas. They did in fact get to as low as $1.25 by May!!! They have since jumped, but it was fun to show the kids what gas prices were like when I was a kid.

On April 9th a couple of days before Easter the kids found a couple baby bunnies in our yard. The got trapped where our trash cans are and we were able to catch them and keep them for a couple of days. The girls really wanted to keep them for Easter so the Easter bunny could see them. We let them go on Easter on the 12th. They got so smelly!

Easter Cards from Grandma were so special!

 Grandma was silly and put masks on Kael and Eden's bunnies.
The kids laughed and laughed it was so great.
Easter bunny doesn't want to catch covid-19!

We dyed Easter eggs the day before Easter.

We need eggs for egg wars. I LOVE dying eggs. I don't know why, but I do. Tradition I guess!

I feel like it has been forever since Derek was able to dye eggs with us and it was just so much fun doing this as a family.

 EASTER MORNING

 The Easter bunny did not disappoint.

 The girls got balloon tying kits and the boys got water balloon launchers.
Eden became pretty good at creating things out of balloons.

Egg wars, candy, toys! 

Easter is definitely a favorite holiday.

That night we skyped with Grandma and played Settlers of Catan with her. It really makes me grateful for technology so we can stay in touch even though far apart!

On April 13th the caterpillars we ordered to become butterflies arrived!
We've done this before and we got 9 out of the 10 to become butterflies! They all made cocoons, but one never came out.

Connor had to grow a seed for a project for school.

His seed never really grew. We have terrible soil, and old seeds...

He didn't care though, and it was still a lot of fun.

The little boy is getting really good at writing his name.

He has really become quite the little boy and is no longer our baby or toddler.

We simply couldn't wait until the end of the month to celebrate our Connor turning 5! We all were so excited and Connor most of all.

 Derek stayed busy doing projects. Here he is putting together Connor's birthday present.

He completed a couple metal models. This is the Millennium Falcon from Star Wars.
These are so cool and he did a bunch while deployed, so we have quite the collection now.

We needed a change of pace and a water fight seemed fitting and just right!

I love getting to bake cake with the kids for their birthday. Connor couldn't decide between a Charmander Pokemon birthday cake or a video game controller.
All he wanted was to eat yummy food and play video games and board games for his birthday and that is EXACTLY what we did. We had breakfast food for a brunch (he wanted berries and pancakes), Bay Seas sea food for dinner take home, and he had a white cake with berry filling and whipped cream icing on top. It was delicious! Good choices Connor!

 It's pretty great turning 5!

We thought it might be a bummer since it was during the coronovirus, but it was a family birthday year anyway. He got spoiled!
 He got some walkie talkies, 2 new games, gifts from his siblings (they all spent their own money), a new video game, and a car to drive.
The kid is LOVED.

This kid cracks me up! 

He is always so happy with everything. He doesn't get upset, and loves anything you do for him.

Everyone playing video games with him.

Dearest Connor,
My heart is so full! You are my baby and you are growing up before my eyes. You are the funnest kid! You follow your big siblings everywhere and you want to be big NOW. You talked about turning 5 for an entire year. You were just ready. You have thrived at preschool. You know all the other kids names and call them your friend. You are still learning to recognize the letters even though you know all the songs to everything! You love to sing and dance. You love to play ball. You love video games. You do NOT like rice. You LOVE broccoli and just about everything else. You let your opinion be known. You are just so happy and kind to everyone. You love acting out plants vs zombies and all the other crazy stuff you see and use great sound effects for blowing things up.
You are smart and funny and so kind.
I am loving the sweet and fun boy you have turned into. I know I'm not allowed to call you my baby, but you will ALWAYS be my baby even if you are 5. I love you kid. From 5 pounds to 5 years you have your whole family wrapped around your fingers. We all love you Connor. We will always be here for you no matter what. You are going to do amazing things. Your brother and sisters love you. I know you will always be there for them as well even though you are the youngest.

Love Always,
Mom and Dad

 Eden is our tree climber. I'm certain she will miss this tree when we have to move.

Connor was helping taking down his decorations from his birthday party.

The caterpillars all cocooned and started turning into butterflies.

 We put up a tent for the kids to sleep in while it was still cool outside.
The boys slept on the trampoline and the girls slept in the tent.
Derek had to work the next day so I slept in the tent with the girls. It actually wasn't that bad!

 Before and After
Derek had to get a new military ID card.
Working from home meant he didn't have to shave his face at all.
We decided a nice mustache might be just what his ID card needed!
I think it's great!

I tried making some sausage and purple kraut. Mine tasted weird, so Derek made some good kraut.
It turned out amazing.

 Towards the end of the month Elara became Nanny McPhee. Her tooth was sooo wiggly.
It did indeed finally come out though!

We always love getting birthday cards!

Derek got a smoker for our Anniversary!

I should have done this sooner! He smoked some salmon and it was delicious! So many delicious foods have come out of that smoker.

 Derek made churros because we were missing Disneyland churros! They turned out so yummy!
I think the trend is quarantine means yummy food!

We caught fireflies one night. SO many fireflies!

I got more videos than pictures.

 The kids made a song with fake farts. It was gross and was recorded for posterity sake.

 The kids have been reading to Connor and it has been so helpful for ALL of us. Less work for me, he loves being read to, and the kids get some reading time in!

 Grandma sent us face masks in the mail!

Derek had to go in to work for a short time to fix his lap top. In the parking lot on the way home a lady turned left and drove right into the back side of Derek's truck. He owns his old Honda Civic for like 8 years and nothing and within 5 months his newer truck gets hit.

Thankfully the car insurance was quick to cover it, and we got it repaired in less than 2 weeks time even with coronovirus going on. So, I guess the lesson is I'm glad we have car insurance!

Sweet Eden had to give a report for social studies on a famous woman from history.

She really wanted to choose a cow girl. Thankfully on the list was Sandra Day O'Connor who was raised on a ranch in Arizona. She was inducted into the cowgirl hall of fame. 

She learned all about her becoming a supreme court judge and had to make her out of an oatmeal can.

I'm really impressed with how hard Eden can work when she puts her mind to it. It was a fun project to work on together.

 AND Elara lost that tooth FINALLY!

Shannon and Grandma Sapp called to wish Connor a happy birthday on his birthday April 29th and we had some fun with facebook messenger and making silly faces with Grandma Sapp.

April really was so very much fun! Lots of celebrating and learning and time together as a family. I wouldn't take back this time together for anything. I have LOVED being able to be with the people I love 24/7! I'll be stuck in quarantine with these people any day!

I love you all so much!